


light up my world

by Sweethoney21



Category: 19天 - Old先 | 19 Days - Old Xian
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Tangled (2010) Fusion, Boys Kissing, Childhood Friends, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, Falling In Love, Fantasy, Fluff, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Inspired by Tangled (2010), M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-29
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:33:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21609124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweethoney21/pseuds/Sweethoney21
Summary: An AU where Mo has healing powers, She Li abuses those powers, Zhan Zheng Xi & He Tian are enemies, and Jian Yi is here to make sure He Tian is Mo's prince charming while falling in love himself.
Relationships: He Tian/Mo Guan Shan, Jian Yi/Zhan Zheng Xi
Comments: 10
Kudos: 114





	1. Once upon a time

**Author's Note:**

> character list:  
> Mo Guan Shan = Rapunzel  
> He Tian = Flynn Rider   
> She Li = Mother Gothel   
> Zhan Zheng Xi = Maximus   
> Jian Yi = Pascal   
> He Cheng & Qiu = Stabbington brothers  
> Mo Guan Shan's mom and dad = queen and king

This is the story of how I died. Don’t worry, this is actually a very fun story and truth is, it isn’t even mine. This is the story of a boy named Mo Guan Shan. Now, once upon a time, a single drop of sunlight fell from the heavens and from this small drop of sun, grew a magic, golden flower. It had the ability to heal the sick and injured. 

A long, long time ago grew a boy. The boy grew up in a huge mansion surrounded by beautiful gardens. Time after time, when the boy’s parents would dispute he would find himself going back to the quiet gardens. One day, when the noise became too much he discreetly left once again. Wandering until he could no longer hear his parents bickering.   
He memorized each and every flower that covered the grounds. He knew exactly where the roses, lilies, tulips, daisies grew. Today was different. The boy spotted a new type of flower. A type of flower he has never seen.   
The flower was deep into the ground allowing a thorned bush to cover its beauty. The silver-haired boy knew then, he needed this flower. He dug and dug. Letting the sharp leaves break his skin. He wouldn’t be satisfied until he could have a foreign flower. 

“Little Li! Where are you? It’s time to go inside!~” A maid called from afar. The boy had now uncovered the flower, holding it close. He immediately fell in love with the unusualness of it. “She Li what are you doing?... You’re hands!” The maid’s expression shifted from relief to fear. The boy's hands were coated in his own blood. The once bright orange flower became the same color as his hands. 

The boy felt no pain. The flower released its magic to his hands allowing She Li to no longer feel the suffering of his pierced hands. “I feel… nothing” replied She Li. 

The maid and parents immediately rushed him to the local doctor. The doctors explained that the reason he couldn't feel pain wasn’t that the flower was magical but, that he had Congenital insensitivity to pain. The boy knew they were wrong and would constantly rely on the flower to numb his pain for many years to come.  
\-------------------------------------

Centuries passed and the town was now ruled by a beloved king and queen. The queen was pregnant and very sick. She was running out of time and that’s when the people went to search for a miracle. Or in this case, a magical auburn flower. 

But you see the miracle wasn’t easy to find because the silver-haired boy, She Li, hoarded it’s healing power and used it to keep himself a young teenager for hundreds of years. All he had to do was hold the flower close to the cause of pain and the flower would heal him immediately. The boy once done exploiting its healing powers would hide the flower. 

The day of the queens due date was coming up very soon and the queen was still suffering. The people haven’t given up and only grew more passionate to find the mystical flower. One windy night, on top of a hill near where She Li lived, they found it. 

The magic of the amber flower healed the queen and allowed her to deliver a healthy baby boy. He was born with beautiful bright auburn hair and eyes. To celebrate his birth, the king and queen launched a flying lantern into the sky. And for that one moment, everything was perfect.

And then that moment ended. 

That silver-headed snake I mentioned at the beginning of the story, hadn’t given up. He was entranced by the healing powers and knew he wasn’t ready to die yet. He snuck into the castle late at night and tried to take a piece of the baby’s hair but it failed. Once cut, the powers died immediately. The young red-headed boy woke and started to wail. Waking the queen and king as well. As quick as She Li came in, he left. Taking the child with him. 

The kingdom searched and searched for the missing prince but couldn’t find him. For deep in the forest, in a hidden tower, She Li raised the child on his own. She Li found his own healing outlet but this time he was determined to keep it hidden. 

\--------------------------------  
(13 years later)  
Mo Guan Shan’s POV:   
The smell of metallic filled the room. I scrunched up my nose, the familiar scent surrounded me. She Li just stared at me, his eyes piercing mine. Drops of red falling from his upper arm staining the freshly cleaned floor. I knew I couldn’t ask what or who did this so instead with trembling hands, I guided them to his wounded arm. Carefully wrapping both hands to slow the bleeding. I closed my eyes and blocked everything out. Focusing all my strength to heal him. Whispering “heal, heal, heal” even though the words had no effect the silence was sometimes deafening.   
Soon enough I could feel the power circulating through my body from the tips of my toes to the top of my head. The tingling feeling took over my heart and mind. 

Once I felt the arm fully recovered I snapped my eyes open. She Li’s once ashen skin turning the normal healthy color. A fresh scar replacing the gash. I still wasn’t strong enough to remove the scars completely yet. 

She Li carefully touched the mark with the tips of his fingers, “hmm much better Mo. Can you clean this mess and make some dinner I’m starving. I’ve been working so much.~” He stepped over the red mess on the floor and retreated to his room. Leaving me with an unsettling feeling.

Even though I’ve known him my whole life there were still many things that he left unknown. Where did he go? What’s his job? Who is causing his injuries? Sometimes I would lash out at him. I hated how he kept me in the dark. He was quick to remind me how I should be grateful to him for saving me from the monsters outside the tower. Saying he knew best and I should just obey what he says. I did. 

One time he caught Jian Yi and me escaping. I was determined to see the town Jian Yi described but before we could even leave the woods, he caught us. He was furious. He barely looked at me but instead blamed Jian Yi. 

Jian Yi was petrified, shaking against the wall She Li pinned him against. She Li always carried a dagger with. Always very sharp with intricate designs on the handle. He held the dagger close to Jian Yi’s neck. “Stop! That's enough She Li, he did nothing wrong.” I remember the spine-chilling look he gave me. That day he gave me a scar of my own. Two tiny holes, one in each ear. I despised them. After that day I became even more determined to escape. 

\------------------------------  
(4 years later)  
“Redhead! Let me up! I bought some goodies!~” Mo peered down from the tower to see his blonde friend jumping around with a huge smile plastered on his face. “Ugh fuck… hold on!”, he yelled down. 

His healing power could heal anything. Although he didn’t get to practice too much. Sometimes when bugs would crawl their way in I would practice my healing power on them. Once I even healed a bird's broken wing. The easiest was plants though. Since they didn’t squirm or have a heartbeat, accumulating the power to make them grow was fairly easy. Long green vines grew around the tower. Once She Li or Jian Yi would come up using the vine he would cut the plant making it short again. So no one could come up and no one could leave.   
“Look! I got a guitar I thought we could learn some songs… and you can’t use the excuse that you don’t have time because I know that snake isn’t coming back in a few hours and the house is already spotless” Jian Yi roughly took off the guitar strung on his back to show off to him. 

“Tsk. fine alright.” He wouldn’t admit it to his friend but he was excited to still have Jian Yi in his life after She Li threatened him. Jian Yi was the only other human contact he had. Years back, somehow the obtuse boy had stumbled across the tower and curiosity took over him. Mo at the time was rereading one of his many books when he heard a boy yelling asking if anyone was up there. Mo thought the boy was drunk. But he didn’t fear him as much as he thought he would. He let him up, desperate for a different thing in his daily, boring life. Jian Yi didn’t seem to care why he was up in the tower or the fact he risked his life climbing up a vine Guan Shan grew. He himself also just wanted a friend. 

Jian Yi was nothing like the monster She Li created in his head. He would frequently bring something from the town. Mo would even sometimes request something he read about. Jian Yi would bring him ingredients, books, drawing utensils, and Mo would listen to his stories and rants about life. It's been going on for four years now. 


	2. Stolen treasure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol this is not that good but I got Disney plus and when I watched tangled I couldn't stop thinking about how good a tangled AU would be for 19 days. This sounds a lottt better in my head but I still hope you enjoy this. I already have quite a few chapters written out so I will post them asap. See ya next time!

He Tian’s POV:  
You see the He family is known for our illegal transactions. All my life I have been taught how to fight, steal, and leave without anyone noticing. Even though I’m eighteen now I still go on trips with my brother and his “boyfriend” because they say I’m still too weak to go alone. I was adamant to prove them wrong. 

Our current mission was to steal the missing prince’s crown. Which was located in the throne room of the castle. Constantly surrounded by exactly 5 guards. This meant instead of bursting through and stealing the crown they would have to get it from up above. 

Being the lightest compared to my freakly buff companions I was the one to snatch the crown. I was practically thrown from the rooftop and let down by a tight rope tightened around my waist. I was prepared for this grab the crown, signal to Qiu to lift me back up, bring the crown to my father, then father would somehow sell the crown in the black market probably making millions off the useless thing. Then I would move onto the next felonious task. 

Crown now in hand. One of the guards interrupted the quietness by sneezing. While smirking I asked in an innocent voice, “Ah. Hay Fever?” The guard gave one look and then responded, “yep.” It takes the guard a second then he does a double-take when he realizes there’s an intruder currently stealing the precious crown. “Hey, Wait! Wait!” He yelled. I sorta felt bad for the guy. But I was long gone now. I stuffed the crown in my satchel and took off running, brother and Qiu not far behind. 

I felt the pressure of air in my lungs. The footsteps of soldiers following behind. I knew my way around from the countless missions of stealing from the castle. Right turn here and left turn there… it became almost too easy. I definitely didn’t need the help of the two bastards following behind. Almost there. When something in the corner of my eye makes me pause. 

Right there on a tree hung two wanted posters. 

“What the fuck? This is horrible. No no no no!” I tore the poster off the tree staring at it “They totally botched my nose!”  
“Who cares?” replied my brother.  
“Well, it’s easy for you to say! You guys look good!”  
“He Tian stop right there!” A new voice yells, he turns back to see Zhan Zheng Xi guiding a group of soldiers. Damn it not this guy again. Zhan was the strongest of the soldiers and even though he has not once caught He Tian he’s gotten really close. 

He stuffs the despicable poster in his satchel with the crown and starts sprinting again. 

Fuck with the distraction of that stiff faced ass he must have taken a wrong turn. Staring at the wall blocking their path to his father's base. He quickly turns to the two bastards.  
“Alright, I'm the lightest you guys give me a boost and then I’ll pull you up!~”  
He Cheng seems to consider it but looks to see the satchel still in his hands. “Give us the satchel first I don’t trust you. I wouldn't be surprised for you to just take it and tell father you did it all on your own.” 

“Huh? I can’t believe after all we’ve been through, you still don’t trust your dear brother.” I faked being hurt, clutching my shirt like I'm in pain. Even though his brother was exactly correct. I hand him the bag. He Cheng gives him a hard push but then reluctantly pushes He Tian to the top.  
“Now help us up, pretty boy,” Qiu says reaching his hand up intending to grab He Tians.  
“Ah sorry… my hands are full.~” The one thing he was better than his brother and Qiu is, he is smarter. He was quick with his hands so taking the satchel back was an easy task.  
“What the hell, He Tian get your ass back here!” Cheng called after him. 

Okay so he got rid of his brother and Qiu, now he just had to get rid of the captain of the soldiers, Zhan Zheng Xi.  
“Retrieve that satchel at any cost!” Zhan roared, serious as ever. “yes sir!” they all replied.  
Zhan was noticeably the fastest and strongest out of the group. He quickly caught up to He Tian.  
“You know Zhan we gotta stop running to each other like this. How about we stop this chasing around each other and just get some tea and chat. I’ll pay!~” Zhan doesn’t even quirk a smile. “Still straight-faced as ever I see! Hahah~”  
Zhan starts to turn into him trying to cut him off. He Tian picks up speed. All of sudden there's a grip on his back pulling him back. They both tumble bumping the ground. The soldier now holding him down. Legs pinned on either side of him. “You know I like to be top, but I'm kinda liking you dominating.” He smirks up to the inscrutable captain. 

Zhan rolls his eyes, “when you’re in jail I'm sure you can fulfill your fantasy with the other criminals.”  
“Haha very funny.” He sarcastically responds. The ever-persistent Zhan keeps relentlessly tries to grab the bag out of his hands leading to a game of tug a wore. One final tug the bag goes flying away, landing on a tree branch. Both speedily running towards the fallen tree. 

Like hell he was gonna have Zhan Zheng Xi take the crown, the thing to prove to his dad and brother he was strong enough. Zhan also seemed to be determined as him, as they both were racing to the bag on a tree that can definitely not support two people. Simultaneously, they both reach for the satchel draped on the branch. 

Crack. Snap. 

“FUCKKKKKK AHHH!!!” Both fall endlessly to the unknown ground far below.


	3. a fragile flower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments/kudos!!!! ≧◡≦ glad other people enjoy my fantasies lol

Mo Guan Shan’s POV:   
My back starts to feel numb. Laying on the cold, wood floor can’t be healthy but I’m content just resting here. My feet dangle on top of the worn sofa, my head tilted to the side. I stare at the window. My opening. My escape. The only place in the tower that lets light in. I allow my eyes to slip close and listen to the strumming of the guitar and occasional curse words that slip out of Jian Yi’s mouth when he plays the wrong cord. 

Tomorrow I turn eighteen. Tomorrow I’m officially an adult. An adult with the amount of freedom as a five-year-old. I imagine the floating lights. The lights I think about constantly, the lights painted all across the inside of the tower reminding me of my dream to escape. 

Every year on my birthday hundreds of floating lights swarm the dim sky. Every year I go to the window and gape at the beauty. This year I don’t want to see them from afar I want to find the lights. I want to see them in person. But in order to do that, I have the impossible task to convince She Li to let me go. And I'm pretty sure saying I'm an adult won't be enough to persuade him. 

Even thinking about the conversation makes me nervous. I move from the floor to the kitchen. I need a distraction and Jian Yi’s lousy playing isn’t enough. I start grabbing the bread from the cabinet, “Jian Yi you want a sandwich?” “Yes! I’m starving!~”   
\---------------  
“Red-head I’m home!” She Li’s voice calls from a distance. 

I rehearse the words I’m gonna tell She Li a million times with Jian Yi perfecting them. Now it’s time. 

“Mo, I’m not getting any younger down here!” 

“Coming!” I grab a random vine and allow the power to run through me. She Li ascends the tower until we are face to face. I flick an invisible speck of dust on my pants and take a gulp of air. “Welcome home. Um as you know tomorrow is a very important day-” 

He ignores me- as per usual- and walks to the counter to pick up one of the sandwiches I made. “Damn I was starving.” He stuffs it in his mouth making his cheeks bulge out. 

I clear my throat and start over, “so as I was saying tomorrow is an important day and I-” She Li once again interrupts touching his wrist, “You know I think I need some of your magic this sandwich isn’t doing the trick.” 

I rush over to grab a chair for him and a stool for me. I nudge She Li into the chair and place my hand over his wrist and clamp my eyes shut. “Healhealhealhealheal,” I repeat in a loud whisper. This was one my chance, I wasn’t going to back down. 

“Hey Mo what the hell. Slow down.” Now it’s my turn to ignore him. “Mo Guan Shan wait.” I feel his body recovering. "wait!" Once I feel he has had enough. I let go of his wrist. “Mo what the hell?!” 

“What I wanted to say is that my birthday is tomorrow!” He stares at me as if I have grown two heads, his face pinched. “Nope. I clearly remember your birthday was last year.” 

I glance around nervously and clench my hands. “Uh. Well, that’s the funny thing about birthdays they’re kinda an annual thing. And I’m turning eighteen this year so umm I was thinking that um maybe for this birthday… what I want… well, what I’ve always wanted is um…” I embarrassingly choke over my words. 

“Jesus Guan Shan spit it out.” 

Fuck it. “I want to see the floating lights!” 

“Huh? What? You mean the stars?” He is obviously taken back. 

“Well no they aren’t the stars. I’m not positive about what they are, but every year on my birthday they are released. She Li I want to see them in person. I mean, I can’t help but feel like they’re… that they’re meant for me.” 

His grin vanished and I finally notice the discoloration around his eyes. Even my magic can't get rid of that. I hold my hand tighter. I let the pain seep through. Allowing my fingernails to dig into the palm of my hand, leaving temporary indentions. 

“I’m just trying to keep you safe.” He started to depart. When he stopped in front of one of the pots holding a plant. He held up the one I was struggling to keep alive. The leaves were a soft brown and draped to the side. It was slowly fading. “You see Mo you are like this plant. Just a fragile little flower. Did you forget the reason we stay up in this tower?” 

I shook my head curtly. I could never forget. Since he was constantly reminding me of how incapable I am. Whenever I looked outside to the vast land I was constantly reminded of how insignificant I am. Just a small sprout compared to the stupendous trees. “Yes, I know the people who live outside the tower are evil.” 

“Good. Guan Shan I know best I've seen the outside. You don’t belong there, you belong here with me. Evil, selfish people who will take advantage are out there. You are safe here. Now don’t ever ask me to leave this tower again.” 

“Yes,” I respond my head downcast. He nods approvingly and once again leaves me. Another year of not seeing the lights. 

"see ya later Mo!" He yells up.  
"Yep. I'll be here" I murmur back. 

\-----------

He Tian’s POV:   
“Shit” after falling for what seemed like an eternity I finally hit the ground. The impact is hard enough to hurt but not hard enough to be seriously injured. I jump to my feet. I need to get out of here and fast. I spin around to try to locate where I was. A flock of birds flies near, leaves on the trees blow in the wind, the sun’s rays shine through the tops of the trees leaving patches of sunlight in random places. 

I ponder my next step. I need to somehow find my way out of here and give my dad the crown, that is thankfully still safely stored in my bag. Now I just need to figure out a plan to do this. Well, good news- I didn’t see or hear the soldier that was chasing me. But bad news, I am in a random forest with the missing crown, there are most likely hundreds of soldiers looking for me, and when (or if) I return my brother and Qiu will kill me for deceiving them. So, in conclusion, I was either gonna end up in jail or get killed. What an eventful Monday. 

I start walking around. The forest was still. Too still. I feel as if I’m waiting for someone to jump out from behind a bush and capture me. Every nerve in my body firing. A twig snaps somewhere in a close distance from where I stand. I walk faster. Leaves crunching beneath my shoes. 

Then I hear it, the distinct sound of a pair of boots not too far. Zhan Zheng Xi. I instantly sidestep and hide behind a wall of vines. While peering through the vines. I grab a dagger from my boot. I would rather not have to kill him but there is no way I’m going to jail.   
The sound of leaves crumbling under the boots is getting louder and louder. Each step that comes closer, is a step I take back. 

I feel the prickly sensation of a plant scraping my back, letting me know I'm at a dead end. I can now see his brown boots from underneath the vines. I step back. Instead of hitting a wall, as I suspected I would. I step back into more land. I turn to see a whole new place. And right in the middle is a gigantic tower. My eyes trace the tower. Tons of grey brick piled on top of each other leading to an open window. My escape. 

“He Tian, where are you?!” Zhan calls. He’s close.   
I quickly grab another dagger and puncture it into one of the bricks. Switching arms back and forth climbing my way to the top. Even though it’s a very strenuous task, I'm convinced I can make it. 

I take hold of the ledge of the window and using the last of my strength pull myself up. Once inside I almost collapse from the pain. My lungs ache. I take short, shallow gasps. Trying to quickly recover. My head hung low, staring at the wood floors. I slowly start to stand up straight and grasp on a wall to keep me steady. I grab my bag that is still slung around me and make sure the crown is still in my satchel. Hoping that I didn't just climb a 70 ft tower for nothing.

I sigh a relief. I smirk down at it “alone at last.”   
BANG

Darkness engulfs him.


	4. YOLO

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah sorry for the late upload! But here it is, chapter 4! I might come back and change a couple of things with this chapter later. Since I find it a bit confusing with different people speaking. But ya I'm excited to get Mo back to his normal self. He was a bit OOC in the beginning because of She Li's mental abuse but we are getting back to the "no-fucks-given" Mo. But ya once again, hope you like it!

“Don't panic. Don't panic. Don't panic.” Mo was currently pacing back and forth. 

“Holy shit repeating don’t panic isn’t helping me not panic!” He had just hit someone with a frying pan. A fucking frying pan! But it was self-defense... right? I mean who decides “oh there’s a tower, what a nice challenge I’m gonna climb it!~” Yes, definitely self-defense he decides this bastard deserved it! 

Right, now back to the bastard that is still splayed on the floor. He tiptoes towards the man, the wooden floorboards creaking beneath him. He crouches down until he’s face to face to him and nudges him with the frying pan still in hand. He notices the rise and fall of the man’s chest. Okay unconscious not dead. That’s good… I guess. He slowly drops to the floor next to him and removes the hair covering his face. Fuck his breath hitches. Strands of messy black hair stood out on the top of his head while other pieces were tucked behind his ear. He has high cheekbones that were slightly pink, probably from climbing a fucking 70 ft tower and a sharp jaw with thin lips.

His outfit was quite simple. A cream-colored button-down with black slacks and shiny black boots. With a black cloak and two white stripes down the side. There was also a black satchel, with the same two white stripes.

While distracted all of a sudden the man, he was currently staring at, eyes burst open and he groans in pain. He’s met with dark grey eyes. He whacks him with the frying pan once again. 

He decides he needs to hide the man before She Li gets home and finds an unconscious man lying on the ground. He peers around the wide space. In the corner, a closet stood. The closet seemed like it would be sturdy enough to hold him inside. 

He takes him by both wrists and drags him towards the closet. “This bastard is so heavy! What did you eat growing up?!” He grumbles to himself.

The dark-haired bastard was unusually tall and really fucking heavy. With many different tries, he finally fits him in. He quickly closes the door shut. 

She Li calls from down below, “Mo! I'm home!” Perfect timing.   
“Hold on one sec!” He quickly dabs his face of the sweat that stuck to him and takes a deep breath.   
“I have a big surprise!” She Li yells.  
“Uh, I do too!”   
She Li comes inside with multiple bags around his arms. “Look I got all the ingredients so you can make your favorite, beef stew!”   
“Um about my surprise- I have something I want to tell you.”   
“I hope you’re still not going on about those damn stars.” She Li grits out.  
“‘Floating lights’ and, yes, I’m leading up to that, and…”   
She Li interrupts, “We’ve been over this Mo I thought we dropped this issue.”   
“No I know I’m just saying, you think I’m not strong enough to handle myself out there.”  
“You aren’t strong enough to handle yourself out there!” She Li’s corrects, his voice rising in volume and pitch.   
He really didn’t want to give up again he knows She Is patience is running thin so If he could just show She Li. “But if you just-”   
“Enough of the lights! You are not leaving this tower! Ever!” She Li slams his palms hard against the wooden table causing Mo to flinch.  
I take a deep breath. “All I was gonna say is-” once again I surrender, he wins. “that I want the white paint you brought me that one time.”  
“Well, that is a very long trip. Almost three days.”   
“I just thought it was a better idea than… the stars.”   
“Ugh. fine I’ll go... Don’t do anything stupid with Jian Yi while I'm away.”   
Mo just nods, defeated.  
“Alright, I will be back in three days.”   
\---------------  
Right as She Li leaves he starts his pacing again. He needs to do something about the stranger currently still hauled up in his closet. His thoughts are interrupted when he hears the familiar voice of his friend.   
“Hey Mo let me up!”   
He doesn't think he’s ever been so happy to see his friend he quickly throws the vines down. Right as he steps inside Mo crowds over to him and grabs Jian Yi shoulders.  
“Jian Yi! Holy shit I need your help! I've um... got a man in the closet and I need your help to get him out of there!” 

Jian Yi raises his eyebrows and then smiles, “Oh I think I understand... you’re the man in the closet trying to come out, right?” 

“Huh? What shit are you going on about now?” 

“You know Mo I know coming out is scary but I’m glad you told me, your BFF. I’m glad your out of the closet now. I mean, to be honest, I’ve always suspected-” 

He quickly interrupts, “Ugh shut up! You are one thick-headed bastard. I’m saying there is literally a man in my closet” He crosses the room to the closet and slides the door open. The man tumbles out onto the floor. 

Jian Yi is silent for a couple of seconds and then chuckles, “He came out of the closet!~ Wait! Holy shit! Is he dead!? Is this why you showed me him too, you didn’t want to get dragged down all by yourself?~” Then he gets all quiet and gives Mo a confident look “Cause if he is we need to quickly get rid of the evidence! We are in this together! You choose a great accomplice. Now hurry and-”

What the hell he just went through a million different emotions in ten seconds.“Jesus, what the hell? He’s not dead... just unconscious. He suddenly came in through the window and was mumbling some shit to himself and smirking. It was really fucking creepy so I um... hit him with that pan.” he points at the pan now on the ground. 

“Wow. Mo look at you being all grown up- hitting strangers with cooking utensils. I'm actually surprised he’s not dead. Although, that would have been a cool way to die… Cause of death: frying pan straight to the head.”

“Tsk. shut up and help me tie him to that chair. And put that satchel in... that pot over there.”

They man-handle him up on the chair and Mo ties some vines across his body to hold him still. 

“Okay, Mo when he wakes up we got to be stern and interrogate the fuck out him to find out why he’s here and what he wants. So don’t be scared and just follow my lead.” Jian Yi confidently says. 

Before Mo can question him on this, the stranger starts to stir awake. 

“Ah!” Jian Yi grabs his hand and they both duck behind the counter.   
Mo yell-whispers, “what the fuck Jian Yi?!” Jian Yi just shrugs.

Of course, he’s going to have to interrogate the man by himself. He stays behind the counter and yells out, “Struggling… s-struggling is pointless.” Damn, he didn't mean to stutter. Jian Yi gives him a thumbs up which he promptly slaps away.  
The man starts straining against the vines holding him down. “Huh?”   
“I know why you’re here, and I’m not afraid of you,” Mo says more confidently.  
The stranger looks around trying to find the voice, “What?”   
Mo steps out from behind the counter and glares at the man. “Who are you? And how did you find me?” The guy stops struggling and just sits there staring at him. What the fuck? And then he has the audacity to obviously look him up and down. He clears his throat and tries putting on his most malicious scowl and asked again, “Who are you? And how did you find me?”  
  
“Mm-hm, I know not who you are, nor how I came to find you, but may I just say…” He gives his hair quick flip and smirks, “Hi. How are ya doin’? The name’s He Tian. How’s your day going’?” 

Mo turns to Jian Yi, who is now standing up staring at the interaction. “what.. What is he doing?”   
“I… I think he’s flirting. Oh! I think he might be sadistic. Maybe he’s enjoying being tied up!~”   
He Tian just laughs.   
“Gross. Who else knows my location He Tian?”   
“Hmm I like the way my name sounds when you say it”   
Mo holds the pan in the air in a threatening way.  
“Alright alright, red-head-”   
Mo clicks his tongue, “Tsk. It’s Mo Guan Shan”.  
“Here’s the deal. I was in a situation, gallivanting through the forest. I came across your tower… and ho, oh no… where is my satchel?”  
Now it’s his turn to smirk, “We’ve hidden it somewhere you’ll never find it.”   
He Tian looks around and then tilts his head towards a pot. “It’s in that pot, isn’t it?”   
He gave his friend a quick nod and Jian Yi slammed the pot, he grabbed from the counter, against He Tian’s head. Successfully conking him out once again. 

“Man, that feels good! I want to do it again!” Jian Yi yells happily.   
“No! If you do that we really will have to hide a body! Now where are we gonna hide his bag” 

“Ummm oh what about you put it up your shit and pretend you're pregnant! That way he won't flirt with you anymore and only psychos would hurt someone pregnant!~” 

Mo pinches nose and shakes his head disapprovingly, “Ugh Lord help me, at this rate you're going to have to be the one to hide my body because I’m going to throw myself off this tower. ” 

Jian Yi just laughs. “Noo I'm just kidding!~ Now, why don't we hide it under that loose wooden plaque, where we hid those cigarettes that one time She Li came home early!?~”   
“Oh Ya! Finally a good idea!” He lifts one of the wooden floorboards and places the bag in there. “Okay, now we just need to wake him. How do we wake him all we know how to do is knock him out... if we just hit him with the pan again do you think he would wake up?” 

“Here let me try-” Jian Yi scoots over to He Tian and gets centimeters away from his face and whispers “He tian, He Tiannn wake up sleeping beauty!~” the man makes no move to waking up. “Oh! I know! Mo come give him a kiss maybe then he will wake up!~”   
Mo sputters, “HELL NO!”   
The man starts to awake. Thank goodness. 

When He Tian realizes where he is he groans “Hey what the hell you hit me again!”   
They ignore him. “Now your precious satchel is somewhere where you will never find it. So, why is it you climbed this tower? You want to steal my gift or something?” Mo questions.  
“Your gift? Jesus no I just want to get out of these damn plants and-” He once again checks Mo out again “get in your “plants”. If you catch my drift.~” Mo makes sure to do the most dramatic gagging noise while Jian Yi just snorts. 

Mo grabs Jian Yis wrist and forcefully drags him behind the counter. “Should we trust him? I think he can lead us to the floating lights.”   
“Hmm Mo listen here to your wise friend. You know while in town I heard these kids talking and one was trying to convince the other and-”   
“Jian Yi we don’t have time for this. Skip the long story and just get to the main part!”   
“Alright. Alright so one of them said, “you only live once!” and it’s true so you know what screw it let’s trust this pain-loving bastard! YOLO!”   
“YOLO?”   
“Oh, I made that part up it stands for you only live once. Mark my words, Mo, everyone's going to start saying it!~”   
He rolls his eyes but clasps Jian's hand, “alright YOLO”   
He goes back to He Tian.   
“Alright, you chicken dick I’m prepared to offer you a deal.”   
“Deal?”   
He points to the wall covered in painted floating lights. “Do you know what these are?”   
He Tian shrugs, “you mean the lantern thing they do for the prince?”   
“I knew they weren't stars! Well, tomorrow evening they will light the night sky with these lanterns. And I want you to act as our guide, take us to these lanterns, and return us back here safely. Then, and only then, will I return Your satchel to you. That is my deal.”   
“Hmm, yep no can do. Unfortunately, the kingdom and I aren’t exactly on the best terms at the moment. So I won’t be taking you anywhere.... Unless it's to your bed.”   
Mo scoffs. Jian Yi steps in. “Look He Tian something brought you here. Like maybe... Aw, maybe it was fate or destiny or-”   
“An annoying soldier” He Tian mutters. 

I was getting tired of being told no. “You can’t do that. You're too weak for that. You're not allowed to leave.” He could hear She Li's voice in his head. I could feel my anger boil up. Just for once I want to do something for me. I walk over to He Tian, the person that will help me and tug at the vines. He grunts as he falls forward, Mo catches his chair right in time before he hits the ground. 

In a strict tone, I say, “Listen here. You can tear this tower apart brick by brick, but without my help, you will never find your dear satchel.” 

He Tian eyes him and without breaking eye contact says, “damn Jian Yi might be right. I like him bossing me around.-” Mo slightly grimaces. “So let me get this straight. I take you to see the lanterns, bring you back, and you’ll give me back my satchel.” 

Mo nods, “Yep. I promise.”   
He Tian raises his eyebrow in disbelief.   
Mo leans in closer, “And when I promise something, I never break that promise. Ever.”   
Jian Yi nods, “It’s true.”   
He Tian still seems to not believe him, “All right, listen, I didn’t want to have to do this but you leave me no choice. Here comes the ‘smolder’.” He Tian pouts his lips out and widens his eyes. Mo just stares at him confused. “Well, this must be an off day for me. Usually, that makes girls swoon… fuck it fine I’ll take you to see the lanterns!”   
“Hell yes!” Jian Yi yells.   
“So can we get me out of these vines now I feel like I’m losing circulation,” He Tian asks.   
\-----------------  
Mo looks over to see He Tian start climbing out the window. “Hey dumbass what are you doing?”   
He looks back, “Huh? I’m… climbing down the tower.”   
Jian Yi points to the vines that were tied to He Tian “We use the vines.”   
“Oh okay, that’s smart.” He Tian grabs the vines and throws one of them out the window. “You know these vines aren’t the only thing with a long stem.” He winks at Mo right before he scurries down the tower.   
“Well, at least he has a way with words.” Jian Yi teases.  
“I think I’m already regretting this.”   
He Tian calls up, “You coming red-head?!~”   
Mo leans out of the window and flicks him off.   
He Tian makes the shape of a heart out of his hands and points it back at Mo. 


End file.
